NO. 118 Prosser Balloon Rally

Prosser Balloon Rally
105 W Old Inland Empire Hwy,
 Prosser, WA

http://www.prosserballoonrally.org/index.html

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The 23rd Annual Prosser Balloon Rally takes place this weekend, Friday September 28th through Sunday 30th. There will be 26 Northwest balloonists to launch hot air balloons into the skies for the Great Prosser Balloon Rally.
Getting up early before dawn is the best opportunity to see the rain-bow colored balloons take shape as the balloon's envelope is first inflated by a large fan, then rises skyward as propane heaters thrust hot flames heating the internal temperature to 125 degrees.
The balloon fabric can weigh in excess of 320lbs depending on size and shape of the envelope, cover 1,500 yards and requires 13 miles of stitching.
A Night Glow is scheduled for Saturday evening at the Fiker Stadium starting at 5pm

Balloon Teams setting up for the morning Flight

Full Flight Line

Balloonist head for the Yakima River

Pilots will drag their baskets through the Yakima River

Balloonist preps for splash down

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No. 98 Lavender Fields, Sequim Washington

Sequim, Washington
Olympic Peninsula
Clallam County, Washington
http://www.lavenderfestival.com/
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Sequim (pronounced Skwim) is roughly in the middle between Port Townsend and Port Angeles along Hwy 101 on Washington States Strait of Juan de Fuca north shoreline.  The landscape is flat, hot and humid in the summer and for the Evergreen State a relatively dry area.
Sequim lies within the rainshadow of the Olympic Mountains and receives on average less than 15 inches (380 mm) of rain per year—about the same as Los Angeles, California.  Morning marine fog burns off usually around mid afternoon revealing the northern side of the Olympic Mountain Range just behind the city. 
This quainty city of 6000 is steadily growing as more discover its beauty, climate and 2hr drive from Seattle. Every July the city celebrates a Lavender Festival which attracts 10's of thousands out to the Dungeness Valley for the fields of purple lavender. 
The city and the surrounding area are particularly known for the commercial cultivation of lavender, supported by the unique climate: it makes Sequim the "Lavender Capital of North America", rivaled only in France. The area is also known for its Dungeness crab.

Other Sequim Attractions:

Olympic Game Farm
Dungeness Split

Purple Bees make Purple Honey

Commercial Lavender Farm outside of Sequim

Purple Carpet of Lavender

Gear Kit 

Nikon D7000 Digital Camera
Tokina 12-24mm 
Nikon 70-300mm
ThinkTankPhoto Urban Disguise 35

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